Page 18

Seventeen

RILEY SMILED as Greyson slipped his hand into hers on the way to the shuttle. Cross-country skis lined the top of the white Mercedes extended van.

Tingling shot from his touch all the way up her arm. At some point she’d get used to holding his hand—surely it wouldn’t send a zap through her every time—but it was quite addictive in the meantime.

“After you,” Greyson said, halting by the shuttle door and guiding her up the steps. She looked up to find Kevin in the driver’s seat. Relief swept over her. Alvin gave her the creeps.

“Welcome,” Kevin said. “There are four seats left in the back.”

“Thanks.” She ticked off the eleven seats leading to the back four. She settled in, Greyson beside her. Veronica turned around, resting her arm on the seat back separating them.

She leaned in, signaling Riley to do the same with the flick of her red nails. Not the most subtle move. “Tate’s gone,” she hissed.

Riley frowned. “He left the retreat?”

“Yes. I saw him heading out after brunch.” Roni shifted, and Brad joined her in turning around.

Riley scooched to the edge of the seat. “Did you speak with him?”

“I tried, but he kept striding for his car, not bothering to toss a glance my way.”

“Did he say anything?”

“Just that he was done playing a couple alone and was heading out for some ‘me time.’”

“Any indication where?”

Veronica shook her head.

“You almost missed the shuttle,” Kevin said, his deep voice echoing along the raised shuttle roof.

“Sorry.” A lady with two blond ponytails and a pink snowsuit hurried for the open seats by Greyson and Riley. A tall man in gray attire followed her.

“Hey, Roni,” she said as she passed her and settled onto the bench seat beside Riley.

“Allie, this is Jenny,” Veronica said. “And Chad,” she added as the man maneuvered around Jenny for the window seat. “And this”—her gaze fluttered over Greyson in his navy snowsuit—“is Noah.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jenny said. A shiver shot over the woman. “It’s a cold one.” She slid her hands into a fluffy white muffler. “How’s it going, Roni?”

“Fine. Tate left today.”

“I wondered how long that would take.”

Riley shifted to face her better. “You know Tate?”

“Only from here. Chadand I happened to be here with them for our first visit and again for this one, so we’ve chatted, but I wouldn’t really say we know each other. Neither are big talkers, but Kelly is definitely friendlier than him. He’s like a wet sponge.” Jenny leaned toward Roni. “Have you talked to Kelly since she left? I heard that fight she and Tate had. Wasn’t pretty.”

“You saw the fight?” Riley asked.

“No.” Jenny blew a bubble with her gum. “I was walking by when I heard yelling, so I lingered a bit. Just to make sure Kelly was okay. Then the noise settled, and I returned to my room. In the morning she was gone.” She twirled the pink bubblegum around her index finger, then popped it back into her mouth. “It’s been an interesting trip with people leaving.”

“People? As in more than Kelly and Tate?”

“Oh, just staff moving around.” She waved off that topic with the flick of a hand. “Is Kelly doing okay?”

“Why would she not be okay?” Riley asked. “I mean, were you worried Tate might ... hurt her?”

Jenny shrugged. “I don’t know. I just wasn’t a fan of the guy, and it was quite the heated argument.”

Chad gave her a soft elbow in the side.

“What?”

“You’re gossiping again.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I’m just relaying information.”

“Did you see her leave?” A second eyewitness would be great.

“Nah, but I heard. People around here talk, you know?”

Thankfully so.

Riley glanced up to find Kevin staring at them in the rearview mirror. They made eye contact, then he shifted his gaze back onto the road. Had he been listening to their conversation?

A half hour later, Kevin pulled to a bumpy stop along the ice-packed drop-off.

He shifted the shuttle into Park and opened the side-entrance door. “The trails start about five hundred yards in. They’re marked, so you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping to the paths.” He looked at his watch. “We’ll meet back here at four thirty sharp so we’re all on board before it gets dark, but the sunset you’ll see will be amazing.”

One by one, he handed out equipment. Riley and Greyson went last.

Kevin held her skis for a moment’s pause. “Be sure to stick to the trails. It’s a big wilderness with wild animals. I’d hate for you to get lost.”

Twenty minutes in, they’d lost the rest of the group—everyone heading off on their own trail, none in the mood to talk while in the midst of the activity.

“Shall we?” Grey pointed to a nearby slope with a glint in his eyes, a playful smile kissing his lips.

Might as well enjoy the time. “Race you,” she said, taking off.

“Cheater,” he hollered behind her, but it only took him a nanosecond to catch up with his long strides.

The two raced in tandem, the ice-laden snow crunching beneath their skis. The sun’s warmth heated Riley’s back, the sky a beautiful clear blue.

Silence surrounded them, save their laughter and the occasional flap of birds rustling in the evergreens. The slope took a sudden, steep decline, and Riley went flying down it, faster than anticipated. She wobbled but corrected, managing to stop by a massive tree trunk before heading over the drop-off.

Greyson shushed to a sideways stop, resting his hand on the tree. “You—” A flash of something zinged by faster than she could blink. Greyson grunted a millisecond before they heard a resounding thwack.

He grabbed her, flung her to the ground behind the tree, and covered her with his body.

Another thwack, bark splintering around them as a quivering buzzed through her ears.

Grey pulled to a crouching position, tugging her with him. Positioning her fully behind the thick trunk, he leaned around it, his gun at the ready.

Thankfulness that no one was around to see them blow their cover filled her.

Grey drew her attention to movement at the rock formation thirty feet to their three o’clock.

“Oh my goodness,” Roni hollered, appearing around the bend. “What’s happening?”

Brad reached Roni’s side, and Grey slipped his gun back into his holster and zipped his jacket back up.

A snowmobile roared just beyond the tree line on the ridge above them.

“You’re bleeding,” Roni said, and Riley turned her attention to Greyson.

“You were hit?”

Riley studied the tear in his jacket. Not a bullet track. Her gaze shifted up the tree, fixing on two arrows sticking out of it, their vanes blue and yellow.

“Grazed.” He shrugged his other shoulder.

“Enough to tear your coat and your skin.”

“It’s a flesh wound, luv.”

“Let’s at least get you back to the shuttle. I’m sure Kevin has a first aid kit.”

Halfway back to the van, Kevin rushed up over the slope. “It was Tate,” he said, out of breath. He bent, resting his hands on his knees and sucking in a shallow burst of air.

“Tate?” Riley narrowed her gaze. “What do you mean, Tate?”

“I saw the arrows fly and thought it was a hunter, so I went to let him know we were in the vicinity.”

She took in the orange reflective vest he’d put on.

“And?” Roni pressed.

“I saw Tate running for a snowmobile with a quiver of arrows on his back.”

“Whaaat?” Roni drew it out with a gasp.

“Tate shot at you.”